RoadworkUK

You're the writer a crapload of people would like to be...

This is the main reason I kind of hope I have kids. I'm hoping to spawn somebody who might take at least a dim interest in inheriting my old shit, lest it be otherwise condemned to a skip. No charity shop will want to take several hundredweight of car brochures.

Early Dacia 1310 (Denem)?

I think that's in the wrong thread, really. Deserves to go for proper money. Does raise a question, though, and it's something I really don't understand about eBay: what's the point of bidding on anything when there's still four days to go?

If that Charisma was 1:18 scale, I'd absolutely love it. Or the Micra tbh.

How utterly delightful. It's like the prototype for the Micro Machines' super van city.

I'll take the Barry-spec BMW 3 Series, please!

Could I trouble you for the DeLorean, 300ZX and Merc W124 from that selection, ta?

A tenner is the new fiver, and not just on matters of tat.

It's Sunday and I'm home alone, and that can only mean one thing. Yes, it's twatting about taking pictures of model cars time. Is this a questionable pastime for a 42 year-old? Probably. Don't care. This week it's a 1/18 Opel Manta Coupe by Revell, as captured by my 2004 Olympus Mju Mini. I seem to remember buying this in a branch of Toymaster, possibly Chelmsford circa 2000 or so. In those days, when my internet access was infrequent, 1:18 models weren't all that easy for me to come by. Living in a rural corner of Essex, occasional trips to Colchester or Chelmsford were good for visits to Beatties or Williams and Griffin, but it was rare to find anything that wasn't by Bburago or Maisto. The opening of Bluewater shopping centre was an eye-opener; there was a branch of ModelZone there, and that brought my first exposure to AUTOart models. But they were WAY out of my price range, and I very seldom found myself the other side of the Dartford Bridge to see them. At that point, the only models I had that weren't Bburago or Maisto were ones bought for me by relatives in more exotic locations. Such as High Wycombe. It was uncle Victor and auntie Gillian that bought me the first Revell in my collection — an R129 Mercedes 500SL. I rather liked that model, although — dating from circa 1991 — it wasn't the highest in fidelity. Still, some details, such as the wheels and headlights, really impressed me. So, when I first encountered this, my interest was all kinds of piqued. Firstly, it was an Opel Manta. Models of relatively humdrum, everyday cars were sorely lacking in my collection, so my want valve pretty much exploded. In particular, I loved the idea of it being basically a Mk1 Vauxhall Cavalier Coupe. And I don't remember it being priced beyond the Bburago / Maisto level I felt comfortable with. So, what have we got? Well, quite a nice model, as it goes. I think the shape is absolutely bang on. Part of me wishes they'd modelled the hatchback rather than the coupe, because I used to see the hatchback out and about rather more often. I also kinda wish they'd modelled the standard alloy wheels, rather than the (delightful in their own right) ATS Cups modelled here. And although I LOVE how well the headlights are modelled, I wish it had the standard trapezoidal units that all Mantas had up to 1987 or so. The way they captured that MANTA GT/E graphic is just fantastic, though. Growing up in the 80s, it was always a toss-up as to whether CAPRI INJECTION or MANTA GT/E was the coolest mainstream coupe car name of the day. Also, I would have thought that Revell would have gone with GS/E, being Yooropean and that. The inside isn't detailed to AUTOart standards, but what's there is overwhelmingly "right". Even the dash texture doesn't seem a million miles off. Similarly, the engine doesn't carry quite the kind of forensic detail of an AUTOart, but everything seems relatively accurate, with the radiator pipes, fan shroud and sundry other bits picked out. I reckon it's good enough that it would please somebody who actually owned a Manta. What I want now is for Revell to also make the Cavalier Coupe so I can park them side by side and play spot-the-difference, like I used to do whenever one was parked anywhere near a Manta when I was a kid. Which I, very sadly and emphatically, no longer am.

Oooh, I'd rather like the M5 and 500E from that selection. BUT: What the bloody hell is with that artwork? The E39's wheelarches are enormous and look utterly ridiculous. Grotesque overwheeling is one thing that really spoils Hotwheels for me.

I.... quite like early E65s. Especially on the inside; that analogue/ digital dashboard was a real foretaste of the colour TFT things that are everywhere today, and I love the chest of drawers in the centre stack, with that pop-out phone keypad. Also, the electric seat controls on the centre storage cubby are brilliantly placed. The E65's shape was a tad* inelegant after the E38, but its bulbousness meant SO MUCH MORE interior space. It's far from pretty, but massively more individual than its W220 S-Class or D3 Audi A8 rivals. The facelift, which many people like because it tamed its excesses somewhat, turned it into a bit of a featureless barge in comparison.

Cheers DC. Yeah, I have the road car version of that model: It might be a giggle to have the LM version one day, too, but it's not something I hitherto had any real interest in doing, motorsport veehickles not really tickling my pickle all that.

ABORT! Unless it's too late. I'm going to be strong for once. I just went all magpie for a mo. SHINY THINGS.

McLaren F1; not for me – looks like a few bits are missing, but it's probably a decent buy-to-flip investment. I'd better rescue that Chrome OOC, though, hadn't I? If it's intact.

How much is on the 1:18 McLaren F1 in Gulf colours? Looks like it's by UT Models

That Vanguards Esprit with the functional pop-up lights inspired me to do some more dicking about with cars and cameras. To whit: This is a 1:18 BMW M1 by Norev, and it's quite nice. My favourite bits are the lights, which are quite absurdly well depicted: Basically, this was all an exercise to see if my new mobile phone can do what my old one could, and it... can't. So I've broken out a 2004 Olympus Mju Mini for these — the best camera I have for macro stuff. I guess there are unhealthier hobbies. Fin.

I love how crisp and accurate Matchbox used to get model designations, particularly on Fords. The Volvo 760GLE is another good example.

And with that, the week is over. Nothing but mindless tedium in store for the next six and a bit days until our next glorious taste of St George Market excitement.

Interesting* that the wheels should be so similar to the chrome 5-spokes that graced everything from the Sierra XR4i to the three-axle Peterbilt dump truck. Lovely thing, that.

Esprit is rather a cracker, isn't it.

Wahey! "Hey, Nicola; my friend in Northern Ireland has picked up another model bus for me!".... is exactly what I'm in absolutely no danger of exclaiming to my wife.

I resemble that remark.

Sometimes Maisto just gets it absolutely bang on. Or a lot banger-on than they really needed to, given the pretty modest price points their models commanded. Okay, not super-fine in terms of detail, but in terms of rightness and observation, they're terrific. Lovely model, that. I have one, alas one evening I ended up playing around trying to swap the wheels onto my Argentinian partwork 1:43 Sierra Ghia, and one of the Scorpio's wheels have been absent ever since. I'm a dolt. I'd really like to have the saloon version, too.

Singlehandedly keeping the economhy afloat in Norn Iron, Tim.